Coin-controlled electrical apparatus



Patented Dec. 17, 1929 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES H. PERKINS, F POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK COI-CONTROLLED ELECTRICAL .APPARATUS Application filed December 1, -1928. Serial No. 323,048.

My invention relates to improvements in v i coin or check controlled apparatus and more particularly it relates to apparatus for dispensing electricity.

An object of the invention is the provision of novel motor driven means for dispensing electricity.

Another object is to provide means for cir. cuit closing and control by coins to dispense electricity in accordance with the value of the coins.

A further object is to provide means to establish an electric circuit by means of a coin engaging a screw and to maintain the circuit for a predetermined time by advancing the coin to be released at the end of the screw driven by a motor in said circuit.

Another object is to provide for contact to be established between coin and screw only 2o by a coin of a predetermined size.

Other objects willI appear hereinafter.

rlhe invention consists in the features, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fi ure 1 is a sectional elevation of my device siown in connection with a fan motor.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the holder and screw substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of my device. v

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the coin which closes an electric circuit 2 through screw or worm 3, the circuit 2 including a motor 4 geared to the screw for driving the same.

A coin holder 5 is disposed adjacentthe screw 3 and in the embodiment shown is disposed above the screw and with its coin chutes 6 to one side of the screw. K

The holder 5 is movably sup orted in the frame or housing 7 and depen s therefrom, the holderbeing insulated from said frame and providing an electric contact ring 8 in the lower end of each chute 6, the contact ring bein adapted to make contact with the coin and eing mounted in the insulation material comprising the body of the holder.

The frame or housing 7 may be of metal o r other suitable material and is mounted upon a suitable base 9 upon which the motor 4 is also preferably mounted.

The at upper top of the housing 7 is provided with a coin slot or slots 11 spaced apart and disposed transversely of the housing. Longitudinal slots 12 are also provided in the top of the housin to receive and guide a slotted slidable brac et member 13 supportingthe holder 5 and adapted to move it relative V to thehousing to position the slot or slots 14 in the bracket and the chutes 6 in the holder in registering alignment with the slot or slots-1l in the top of the housin A spring l() is secure to the holder 5 and to the housing 7 to urge the holder 5 forwardly of the housing toward the front end of the worm screw 3 tending to misalign the slots and chutes and to bring a guard plate extension 13of the bracket member 13 into position beneath the slots 11 in the housing to prevent the insertion of coins after the screw has begun to move the coin and holder forwardly.

ln inserting the coin to make the circuit and to start the motor and the screw the customer or operator' pushes the hol er rear! wardly of the housing until the slots register as above described enabling the insertion of the coin which will drop into contact'with the. ring 8 and with the screw 3 between the threads 15 thereof, the spring urged holder acting upon release thereof by the operator to urge the coin againstthe thread 15. When the coin reaches the end of its travel on the screw, having been urged forwardly by the spring 10 and permitted to move gradually forward by the slowly rotating worm screw 3, it will be moved by the spring clear of the screw and will dro down into the drawer 16, thus` breaking t e circuit and stopping the motor and screw.

While the spring 10 in the embodiment shown acts to urge the coin forwardly thus rendering the action of the screw more negative or retardingthan truly positive, it will 10o it to be understood that the screw in its broadest sense plositively constrains the coin and moves t e end thereof regardless of the action of the spring. l

The chute or chutes 6 and slots nearer the end of the screw are of less .length and are for the reception of coins of smaller denomination for contacting with the ScrewY for a shorter period of time to dispense less electricity and to operate the motor for a shorter period of time.

The chutes nearer the end of the screw being for coins of lesser denominations are of less length, but all chutes have their sides nearest the screw in alignment, so that the coins therein will engage the contact rings 8 and the sides ofthe contact screw and coins of. less than proper size will pass between the rin and screw withdut closing the circuit.

e rotating screw is mountedl on a shaft 17 mounted in the wall of the housing 7, the screw being insulated from the shaft, housing and motor gearing.

The screw 3 carries at its rear end a contact drum 18 which is engaged by a brush 19 secured to the base 9 by an' insulated contact screw 20. A lead wire 21 is yconnected to the contact ring 8 and a lead wire'22 is connected to the contact screw 20. Wires 2 and 22 are led out through an insulated bushin 23 in a hole in the front end of the casing or connection, one to the motor and one to the line, the other side of the motor being connected to the other side of the line.

The sha-ft 17 is rotatably mounted in the inwardly projecting bearinf spindle ,24 in the wall of the housing. lfhe screw 3 is mounted on the shaft through an insulated connection within the contact drum 18. The shaft carries a disc 25 at its inner end clamped between two washers of rubber or'other insulation by means of a nut 26 engaging threads 27 on the shaft and by means of an internal nut 28 engaging threads on the inside of the drum. The screw 3 is thus held in frictional clamped engagement with the shaft and rotates therewith.

A gear 29 is splined to the shaft at the inner end of the spindle 24 and is engaged by suitable reduction gearing connected with the motor 4. On the outer end of the shaft is a nut 30 keyed'to the shaft and rotatable therewith, the nut 30 and gear 29 preventing longitudinal movement of the shaft andscrew. g

In the embodiment shown, the gear 29 is engaged by a worm.31, the shaft of which carries a gear 32. The gear 32 is operated by a worm 33 on a vertical shaft 34 connected to the motor shaft through flexible ycouplings 35 and 36 allowing for oscillation of the fan and gear 37 and worm 38 on the motor shaft.

Thus reduction -gearing is provided which moves the screw 3 very slowl .even when the fan is operating at full speedy It will be apparent that other electrical apparatus may be xierated b my invention and the electricity ispensed y coin control as hereindescribed.

The holder and screw are insulated from the housing, gearing and motor structure by the arrangement set forth and the circuit is maintained through them by the coin.

I do not wish vto limit myself to theexact Igeneral screw form, means for rotating said conveyor, a coin holder adjacent said conveyor adapted to hold a coin in engagement with said screw conveyor for controlling an electric circuit. y

2. In combination, a rotary conveyor of general screw form, means for rotating said conveyor, a coin holder adjacent said conveyor adapted to hold a coin in engagement with said screw conveyor for controlling an electric circuit including said conveyor rotating means.

3. In combination, a rotary conveyor 'of general screw form, means for rotating said conveyor, a coin holder adjacent said conveyor adapted to hold a coin in engagement with said screw conveyor for controlling an electric circuit includingsaid conveyor rotating means, said means comprising an electric motor geared to said screw conveyor.

4. In combination, a rotary conveyor of general screw form', means for rotating said conveyor, a 'coin holder adjacent said conveyor and movable with respect thereto, said holder being adapted to hold a coin in engagement with said screw conveyor to establish contact with said screw lto move the coin and holder by the screw and to vcontrol an electric circuit.

5. In combination, a rotary conveyor of general screw form, means for rotating said conveyor, a coin holder ad'acent said con veyor and movable longitu inally with respect thereto, said holder being adapted toA hold a coin in engagement-with said screw conveyor to establish contact with said screw to move the coin and holder by the screw and to maintain and control an electric circuit until the coiny and holder are moved by the screw beyond the free end thereof, said screw being-adapted to permit release of the coin from contact therewith, and breaking of the circuit upon movement of the coin beyond the adapted to conveyor, veyor and movable longitudinally thereof, said coin holder being adapted to hold a coin in engagement with said screw conveyor to establish contact with said screw to move the coin and holder by the screw and to maintain an electric circuit includingv said conveyor rotating means which comprises an electric motor geared to said screw conveyor, said electric circuit being maintained until the coin and holder are moved by the screw beyond the free end thereof, said screw being permit release of the coin from contact therewith and breaking of the circuit upon movement of the coin beyond the end of the screw. l

7 Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said holder is spring pressed toward the free end of said screw, maintaining electrical contact with the rear face of the thread and causing the coin to' clear the end of the screw upon reaching the end ofthe thread.

8. In combination in a metering device, a rotary conveyor of general screw fqrm, means for rotating said conveyor, a coin holder adjacent said conveyor and movable longitu dinally thereof, said coin holder being adapted to hold a coin incontact with said screw to establish an electric circuit including said screw rotating means and to move the coin and holder by said screw to the free end thereof to break the circuit by releasing the coin, said holder having coin holding chutes arranged in series along said'screw and adapted to receive coins 0f decreasing denomination toward the end of said screw.

9. In a combination in a metering device, a coin holder, a screw conveyor adjacent said coin holder, said holder being movable longitudinally of the screw and being provided with a plurality of coin holding chutes arranged in series along said screw and adapted to receive coins of decreasing denomination toward the free end of said screw, an electric circuit includingconveyor operating means controlled by a coin in said holder and engaging said screw, said screw moving the coin and holder to release the coin at the end of the screw to break the circuit, said conveyor operating means comprising an electricv motor geared to the conveyor. v

10. In combination, a rotary screw conveyor, means for rotating said conveyor, a coin holder above said conveyor having a vertical chute adapted to hold a coin of predetermined size in engagement with the side of said screw conveyor for controlling an electric circuit.

11. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said screw conveyor is geared to said electric motor by reduction gearing including a series of worm gears, said screw being insulated from said gearing and provided Vith a contact drum engaged by a'brush mema coin holder adjacent said con-V 12. Apparatus according to claim 9. in which said chutes decrease in dimension toward the end of the screw with their sides next the screw in alignment and adapted to hold coins of predetermined denomination and size in engagement with the side of the screw at a point removed from the uppermost point on the screw.

13. Apparatus according to claim G in which said holder` is provided with a guard extension adapted when the holder is in forward position to prevent insertion of coins in the holder.A

14. Apparatus according to claim 6 1n which said holder is slidably supported in a frame, said frame having a fiat top, said holder being carried beneath the top by a slidable carrier above the top, said carrier, top, and holder having slots adapted to register when the carrier is in rearward position and to misalign when the carrier is moved forwardly.

In testimony whereof I afhx my signature.

CHARLES I-I. PERKINS. 

